The Power of Pop Culture in Politics

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With the November 6th election coming up, many people are using social media to acquire votes or state their opinions. Since the 2016 election, the younger generations have used social media and pop culture to express their political opinions. When President Trump was elected, many celebrities used their social media accounts as a platform to share their opinions to millions of people.

President Trump’s twitter is a major part of his connection to the American people, and other politicians are taking advantage of social media to reach younger voters. Georgia’s own Governor candidate, Stacey Abrams, campaigns through twitter.

Clearly, celebrities have opinions about politics, but does the average person pay enough attention to be persuaded? “Voters like to think that they are independent and not influenced by Hollywood celebrities, yet “[…] the line between politics has virtually disappeared,” Darrell West, author of “Celebrity Politics,” said in one CBS News article. Many hashtags have risen from twitter, including the #MeToo movement to call attention to sexual assault in the entertainment industry.

Taylor Swift has recently had an impact on young voters, her #JustVoted campaign on her Instagram has inspired many people to do research on politicians and make an educated vote. She broke her silence over Tennessee Senate nominees, as she voted for Democrat Phil Bredesen.

Today, many people are more likely to correct a celebrity if they are being politically incorrect. Journalist Megyn Kelly was recently under fire for saying “blackface” (painting of one’s skin to mimic black skin tones) is ok to wear as a Halloween costume. Obviously, many people were upset and her show “Megyn Kelly Today” was canceled.

Even television and movies have something to say about today’s society. The Handmaids Tale is a popular Hulu series set in a dystopian America where women’s only right is to have children. Get Out was arguably the most intense thriller movie of 2017, and relayed a message of how the black community is silenced in America. The song “This is America” by Childish Gambino brought attention to gun laws and racial inequality in America. The song was a hit, and the music video was shocking but eye-opening to many of his young fans.

The Handmaid’s Tale

Whether celebrities are qualified to talk about politics or not, I think it’s safe to say that social media has engaged young voters and hopefully will lead them to be active members of their communities.